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Monday, June 4, 2012

Meatless Monday: Vinegret Beet Salad

Today's extra yummy Meatless Monday recipe comes from a good friend of mine who brought this delightful salad to my Memorial BBQ. It contains my favorite vegetable as the main ingredient- beets! This is a salad the entire family will love- I swear! Even kids who get turned off by vegetables should like this one. It turns a bright magenta color once it's all mixed together which may help entice them further. Lily gobbled it all up and so did everyone at the party. Luckily my friend made more than enough, so there were leftovers all for me to enjoy for the rest of the week!

Boil or steam beets, carrots and potatoes until soft, then allow them to cool down. Next, chop
them into small pieces (very small cubes). Chop pickles and onion into small pieces too, then add to vegetables in a large serving dish or bowl. Next, add the sauerkraut and salt. Pour the oil on top then mix it all together. It should become a bright, magenta color. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Delicious on lettuce or as is.

Note: it may not look this pink right away, this image was shot a couple of says after the salad was originally made

Some pickier children may think this looks "weird", but get them to try it and I will be surprised if they don't like it. The sweet and salty combination is a real crowd-pleaser, and it's so easy to make and relatively inexpensive. This is a recipe I will be using very often in the future.

Sauerkraut is something I don't eat often enough, especially after finding out just how healthy it is. First of all, it is probiotic which is a big plus for many people who understand the benefits of having good-for-you bacteria in your body. The fermentation process causes this and this helps to strongly aide in gastrointestinal health. Here is a direct quote from Natural News' awesome website touting the magnificent cabbage:

"Cabbage offers a host of health benefits. It is high in vitamins A and
C. Studies have shown the cruciferous vegetables can help lower
cholesterol levels. Cabbage also provides a rich source of phytonutrient
antioxidants. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory properties, and
some studies indicate it may help combat some cancers. However, this
already helpful vegetable becomes a superfood when it is pickled."

Read more about the amazing benefits and history of sauerkraut and other fermented and pickled vegetables here, at NaturalNews.com.
If you are not familiar with that website, I suggest you become so. It
offers a wide variety of verified information on health, food, psychology, environmental concerns, social concerns, and much more.

I agree that kids really love the veg in your salad if parents are willing to give them to the kids. Once I brought my son to the dentist when he was 4 and she said, "I know you don't give him red wine...but what does he eat that is so red?" Beets!

Hey there! Love your blog! I found you via the MMM blog hop and just added myself to your followers! Also I wanted to invite you to come enter a fabulous Steve Madden giveaway I'm having right now!!Hope to see you there! And thanks so much lady! Emily

What a wonderful, healthy salad! I'm with you on the sauerkraut, I love it and it has such wonderful benefits for digestion. Thanks for sharing this with Summer Salad Sundays, look forward to seeing you again soon!

Hello, new follower from BSN!! Your blog is just coming at a perfect time for me who's about to start family life and desperately need to get back into shape after months of cravings indulgence!!Esmeralda @ sciencesosexy.blogspot.com

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About Me

After growing up the in the north tri-state area of NJ/NY/PA, events unfolded that landed me and my family in western NC. This blog documents our adventures in relocating! Hope you enjoy, please comment and share your stories with me!